For years, New Jersey students have graduated without learning to read or write cursive, making everything from handwritten letters and notes to historical documents tough to understand. That’s about to change thanks to a new law signed just before former Governor Phil Murphy left office.
The new law reinstitutes cursive writing lessons in New Jersey’s elementary schools. That means kids can work on their own signatures, read historical documents and write letters the old fashioned way.
“Reading and writing in cursive has wonderful cognitive and developmental benefits,” says Senator Shirley K. Turner (D-Mercer/Hunterdon), one of the sponsors of S1783/A3865 that was signed into law on January 20. “Studies show again and again that writing by hand enhances learning by improving reading, comprehension, memory, fine motor, and critical thinking skills. Cursive is a timeless and necessary skill that we must incorporate into our curriculum again.”
The Common Core State Standards omitted handwriting from the curriculum when it was adopted across the country in 2010. New Jersey joins states like California and New Hampshire that are implementing cursive writing back into schools. Kids in grades 3 to 5 will resume lessons starting next school year.
According to the legislative documents, we are overly reliant on computers, and writing by hand activates different parts of the brain and helps with cognitive and motor skills.
“By guaranteeing that all students have a solid background in cursive handwriting, we are giving them a valuable skill they will use throughout their lives – whether it’s signing a check or interpreting an important document,” says Senator Angela V. McKnight (D-Hudson), who also sponsored the bill. “Not only does handwriting instruction encourage better retention and comprehension of information, but it also allows our students to build self-confidence and maintain a vital connection to written communication in the increasingly digital age.”
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